Well maybe this might fall under that category: We're headed to Indianapolis in about 10 days or so to see the Formula One race and to visit my family and some friends. I haven't been back in a year. I think I look different than when I went out last year. I know I'm thinner looking, and my hair is longer. I do need to get another color job--maybe this weekend. Gotta hide the gray!

I dunno, I'm not really thrilled about going back to visit family. For me it stirs up too much crap from the past that I would rather forget. But, they ARE family, after all.....and I guess I should put in an appearance.

Friday, June 16, 2006

The illness was mine. And there were points where I felt like dying, let me tell ya! Sunday night I started feeling like I couldnt get warm. I was wearing long pants and sleeves in JUNE in FLORIDA. We went to bed early, like 9 pm. I woke up the next morning with the rawest sore throat I've had in ages, plus more chills and a low grade fever. Since it was payroll day at work, I went in so my co-worker didnt have to do her job and mine on such a busy day of the week. She took one look at me and sent me home. I stayed about an hour first though, to do a couple of my daily reports.

Afterwards, I went to the doctor. Since we go to a walk-in clinic, it is a first come first served thing. After waiting in the waiting room for 2 1/2 hours, I finally saw the doctor. He was concerned that my throat was so swollen I couldnt swallow or breathe very well. He sent me immediately to an ENT specialist. Turns out I had a very severe case of pharyngitis. I'm currently on antibiotics and steroids and feeling much much better. I've gone back to the gym the last two days, although not at full steam. One of the "gifts" this little illness gave me was enough of a loss to get below 300 lbs.

Now, to the death: Ken and Linda, the friends that are letting us stay with them, have five dogs, one of them being an Australian Shepherd. Because they don;t have their fence up yet, Jack needed to be put on a lead attached to his collar that was around his neck. Earlier this week, he took off while on his lead to chase something and SNAPPED his collar right off. It really dazed him, but he didnt act much different after that. But as the days went on, he started losing his motor function. They took him to the vet who suggested a steroid regiment for a few days to get the swelling in his back down. Meanwhile, his bladder and bowels weren't functioning so great, especially his bowels. This morning they finally did work, but there was so much blood in it. He was bleeding internally. Our friends had no choice but to say their final goodbyes and let him go. Before I left for work this morning, I spent a few minutes sitting with him and petting him and talking to him.

Jack was a great dog. He was like the sentinel of the pack--always watching the windows and barking at anything and everything that moved. He had established himself as the alpha male long ago. He was the only purebred dog in the lot--everyone else is a mix of various things. I'm sure the others will seem all out of sorts for a while. Our house will never be the same.

Friday, June 09, 2006

Anyway, good news! My biopsy results came back NORMAL! Yay--another crisis averted! Now all I have to do is wait until the next round of testing in October.

Here's a site that has lots of info about the connection between HPV and cervical cancer:

http://www.maketheconnection.org/

I hope that all the females that read this will schedule their yearly exam with their obgyn if they haven't already done so! I know it's embarrassing and uncomfortable, but those 30 seconds of your feet in the stirrups can possibly save your life.

Monday, June 05, 2006

Today I go to the gynecologist for my third colposcopy. I've been having abnormal paps for the last three years or so off and on. I'm in a high risk group to develop cervical cancer. The last pap wasn't too great--in fact it was a low grade dysplasia, which on a four point scale (four being cancer) is a two. The colposcopy will give the doc a better look and an opportunity to take a biopsy of any cells that don't look good. The next step is dependant on what they find in the biopsy.

It's not a terribly painful procedure, but it is pretty uncomfortable--bad enough to take some pain reliever and need rest. I'm taking today off from the gym, but plan to be back at it tomorrow as usual.

I'm a little more nervous this time--I guess because it is a little worse than the last time they did a biopsy. Sometimes I just wish the doc would do a hysterectomy and get it over with, so I won't have to go through this anymore.

Thursday, June 01, 2006

On Tuesday the 30th, Alan e-mailed me at work with "the left side of my face feels numb, so does my arm and leg. What do you think it is?" Um...a STROKE, maybe??? This was about 2 pm, and I urged him to go to the ER, but he said he'd wait until I got off work at 5:30 to see if he should still go. He also asked the advice of our housemate Linda, who is a nurse. She said most definitely to GO!

So, for the last 48 hours or so, it has been a wild ride. We spent about six hours in the ER while they determined if he did, indeed have a stroke. It was determined that he had a TIA (transient ischemic attack). You can read more about it here: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4781

As it turns out, a TIA is like a "warning" sign of a possible stroke. The neurologist wanted to perform lots of tests on Alan because he was pretty young to have a TIA (he's only 49) and only has one of the risks (he's overweight). So....the last 48 hrs have been filled with lots of blood draws, CT scans, MRI, MRA, EKG, ultrasound of his corrotid arteries, x-rays, and more. The results? All tests are normal, and the MRI confirmed that he indeed did not have a "real" stroke (means no damage was done).

Alan was told things need to change for him--he's now on aspirin therapy, a low-fat diet and an exercise program. The diet part is not bad, since I've been watching my fat intake, but the exercise is definitely lacking. I'm hoping he will get more into our ballroom dancing now that he needs the exercise. The nurse who was educating him on strokes really thought dancing was a great form of exercise.

I'm on my way to pick him up. It will be so great to be back in our own bed together! I've been staying with him at the hospital at night. Can you picture the two of us all snuggled up in his hospital bed together? It was cute, but after awhile became uncomfy. There was a recliner in his room that wasn't very comfy either. Not to mention the fact that we were awakened ever 2-3 hrs for vital signs! Anyone who has ever stayed in a hosptial overnight knows that it is NOT the place to get real rest!!

Something else: Going through a health scare with a loved one really reinforces what you have together...this has definitely made me appreciate Alan even more. I can't imagine my life without him!

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Not feeling all that great. I'm on Day 2 of my period and, as is customary, having a rough one. If I can get through tonight and tomorrow, it will be smooth sailing.

Despite feeling like crap, I went to the gym and did the circuit and elliptical. The old Jen would have used TOM as an excuse to not go. But I made a commitment to myself to go five days a week no matter what. Sooo.....that is what I shall do!